Connecting means



Dec; 9, 1958 w. B. PETERSON E'fAl.

CONNECTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1955 mmvrons: wife iBpefeflsalza -WU/ m 6? ATTORNEYS.

D c. 9, 1958 w. B. PETERS'QN Em. 2,863, 83

CONNECTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1955 INVENTORS'. WaZzerBfieMrswz Freda 1'12 BY a ATTORNEYS.

CONNECTING MEANS Application December 20, 1955, Serial No. 554,265

3 Claims. ('Cl. 287-54) This invention relates to connecting means. More specifically, it is concerned with means for detachably connecting together, in alignment and in end abutted relation, bar lengths such for example as the side rails of extension ladder sections, sectional lengths of troughs or channels, sectional lengths of knock down scaffolding, etc.

The chief aim of our invention is to provide a connecting means useful for any of the above mentioned purposes, which is simple in construction; which is easily and quickly applied or removed; which can be relied upon to hold the parts eifectively united against the possibility of separation under vibration and/or under ten'sionalor compression strains; and which lends itself to very economical farbication in quantity.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sectional metallic ladder having the side rails of two of its sections connected together in end abutted relation with connecting means conveniently embodying our invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view corresponding to Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the main component or element of the connecting means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing how the side bars or rails of the ladder are provided adjacent contiguous ends with openings for entry of laterally-oifset transversely-o-pen loop projections on the component of- Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the keeper elements by which the connecting element of Fig. 3 is held in place; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of our invention.

With more detailed reference first more particularly to Fig. 1 of these illustrations, the longitudinal rails 1 and 2 of adjacent sections of the latter, thereshown by way of example, are fashioned from stifi sheet metal to Z cross section, and extending between them are weldintegrated rungs 3 and 4. In accordance with our invention, the bars or rails 1 and 2 are provided adjacent their respectively contiguous ends, see Fig. 4, with pairs of laterally-spaced rectangular openings 5 and 6.

As best seen in Fig. 3 the main component or element 7 of the connecting means is die stamped or otherwise .fashioned from stout plate metal with pair of laterallyofifset transversely-open loops 8 and 9 which are spaced to correspond with the openings 5 and 6 in the bars or rails 1 and 2. It is to be noted that the ears 8 and 9 of the connecting element 7 correspond in shape to the openings 5 and 6 in the bars 1 and 2 so as to accurately j fit snugly thereinto as best seen in Fig. 2.

f To hold the connecting element 7 in place, we have I provided keeper elements 10 of which one is separately i illustrated in Fig. 5, the same being struck, like said con- United States Patent nectin'g element, from stout plate metal, one end thereof being rounded and beveled as at 11, and the other end being bent at right angles as at 12. The cross sectional configuration of the keeper elements 10 corresponds to that of the interiors of the loop projections 8 and 9 of the connecting elements 7 and, upon being inserted into the respectively aligned pairs of said loop projections after assembling of said connecting elements with the bars or rails 1 and 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are adapted to engage with a force friction fit. Insertion of the keeper elements 10 is facilitated due to the beveling of their advance ends 11, the final position of said elements being determined by stopping of their angled ends 12 against the tops of the corresponding side flanges of the bars or rails 1 and 2 as also shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the bar ladder sections are to be disconnected, the keeper elements 10 are easily withdrawn by use of a screw driver or the like as a pry beneath their angled ends 12 in a manner readily understood. Due to the closeness of the fit of the loop projections 8 and 9 of the connecting components 7 in the openings 5 and 6 in the bars or rails l and 2, and the force fit of the keeper elements 10 into said loop projections, it will be apparent that said bars or rails are rigidly united, end for end, in alignment against the possibility of separation under vibration and/ or tensile or compressive strains. While the connecting components 7 have been shown as applied to the outer sides of the rails 1 and 2, they can be applied, of course, to the inner sides of said rails if desired or found to be more convenient.

In Fig. 6, there is shown a connecting means of our invention in a form suitable for connecting together two end-abutted trough or channel lengths lb and 2b of which the side flanges are relatively shallow from the standpoint of depth. In this instance, the connecting elements 7b are made correspondingly narrow and provided adjacent opposite ends with single offset loop projections 8b, 9b to engage into single prelocated openings 5b and 6b adjacent the abutted ends of the flanges of the two trough or channel lengths 1b and 2b. The keeper elements 10b are here of a length to correspond substantially to the depth of the troughs or channels and, when in place, are stopped against the trough or channel bottoms. As in the first described embodiment, the loop projections 8b and 9b of the connecting elements 7b fit snugly into the openings 5b and 6b respectively in the flanges of the trough or channels 1b and 2b and the keeper elements Mb into the loop projections of said ears to rigidify the juncture.

I It is to be understood that the connecting means of our invention is not to be considered as necessarily limited in its application to end abutted bar or channel lengths, since it can obviously be used to detachably connect together plates or members cross sectionally configured otherwise than herein shown by way of example, without departure from the spirit thereof.

In describing the preferred embodiment of the inven tion' illustrated in the drawing, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not the intention to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Means for detachably connecting together two bar lengths or the like in abutting relation, comprising a platelike element adapted to be placed against the two bar lengths at one side across the region of their juncture, said connecting element having at least one laterally off-set loop projection adjacent each end thereof to fit through prelocated openings respectively adjacent the abutted ends of the two bar lengths; and retaining key elements passed, with a force fit, respectively through the loop projections of the connecting element at the opposite side faces of the two, bar lengths.

2. Means for detachably, connecting together two bar lengths or the like in end abutting relation, comprising a plate-like connecting element adapted to be placedagainst the two bar lengths at one side over the region oftheir juncture, said connecting element having pairsof spaced transversely-open aligned loop projectionsv laterally offset adjacent opposite ends thereof to fit inwardly throughprclocated openings respectively adjacent the abutted'ends of the two bar lengths, and retaining key elements passed, with force fit, respectively through, corresponding loop projections of the connecting element at the opposite side faces of the two bar lengths.

3. Connecting means according to claim-2, wherein 15 the apertures formed by the loop projections of the connecting element are rectangular in configuration; and wherein the key members are correspondingly shaped in cross section to engage into the loop projections of the connecting element with a force friction fit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,136 Hummer May 5, 1914 1,230,104 Bowditch June 19, 1917 2,343,525 Blodgett Mar. 7, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 585,965 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1947 

